I think I'd be afraid to play a $5000 guitar.

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It might seem hard to imagine the value of old "original" Strats being so much because you've owned them a long time so they are familiar to you. But if you break one or wear it out, where do you get another one if you want the real deal? That's where the "worth" factor comes in and takes in to consideration that they can't make any more "originals" and there's a lot less of them now than when they were first made. And even less as the future marches forward.

I think I'd be afraid to play a $5000 guitar.



Why? It's no different than someone playing a $300 guitar back in 1955 or '56. They are all made to be played. The $5G one is the least scary to play because it performs so well! What is your specific fear?

I'm not an expert on this stuff, but if you're happy playing a $300 Strat, play it with all your might!

"It might seem hard to imagine the value of old "original" Strats being so much because you've owned them a long time so they are familiar to you. But if you break one or wear it out, where do you get another one if you want the real deal? That's where the "worth" factor comes in and takes in to consideration that they can't make any more "originals" and there's a lot less of them now than when they were first made. And even less as the future marches forward."

You're right. The replacement would be the horrific part. They mostly stay home now, and have extra insurance on them , but that is no replacement warranty, is it? I still like the idea of having Custom Shop make you a nice player to yoru specs, and use that one. It sure doens't take a back seat to anything else in quality and performance and is totally replaceable.

I agree that custom shop Strats are a great substitute. My main Strat is a custom shop master built. It sounds and plays great, and one little extra thing about it, it has a very light swamp ash body and that becomes significant when playing long, extended gigs.

I'd be totally happy playing a $300 guitar in 1956. That was my point.

That's what I've heard a lot: that the Custom Shop can somehow capture the magic of the vintage pieces.

It's good to hear that from someone who owns both. I've not ever played a Custom Shop creation, however.

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My other guitar is a Strat.

I didn't think about it like that. I guess I would just feel funny playing something worth more than what a car costs. Plus I'd be really afraid to have it stolen. since it would take me a very long time to earn enough money to buy another. Can you put insurance on a guitar that you actually take with you places and use?

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Ok, this guy ( texasguitarslinger) is asking great questions. A Custom Shop guitar starts around 3G. Masterbuilts @5G maybe a bit more or less.
That's not the price of a car. Ok, maybe a used car.

Anything can be stolen. Cars, clothes guitars, wallets, ID, your girlfriend...name it. People will steal thing for jealousy or drugs, who knows. The wonderful thing about musical instruments is that they are insurable. They can be attached to your home insurance as a "Rider Pack" or insured separately. A vintage guitar is very difficult to replace. Unless your security is good, don't play your 1961 Telecaster in a lousy bar in a
bad part of town. But take a good guitar, and just keep an eye on it. Don't leave it with no one watching it and go for dinner with the band. Half the stories about stolen guitars involve either the owner being drunk or not vigilant, perhaps some of both.
But never be afraid to bring a nice instrument anywhere.

Oh, good, I feel much better about it now. And I'm about 100% sure I'm not going to be drunk anytime soon, so I don't have to worry about that.

I don't have enough for a even a highway one strat right now, but this summer I have a job lined up and my Dad said he'd help me out. So maybe a Custom Shop strat would be a good thing to aim for.

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I would probably feel uncomfortable playing a 50's strat. don't get me wrong its a dream thing. I'm not old enough to have been an original owner of a pre-cbs strat, heck, sale was '66,? right, so i wasn't even born for a few more years.I think they carry a bit more of a mystique for those of us who came along too late to have a reasonable shot at owning one, even used.. in reality, they are above my price range, and I would have the fear of damaging a guitar that either A) I couldn't afford to replace, or B) actually couldn't be replaced.

Now if I won the lottery, that would change. I would never gig with one, but I sure as hell would have a few, and lord knows, a player couldn't own one of those beauties without at least occasionally breaking em out and noodling. then cleaning em up, and wondering how they got so lucky.

The CBS take over was in early 1965. Changes (like the big Strat headstock) didn't start appearing until later in 1965.

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My other guitar is a Strat.

Ha! I've been waiting patiently for one of those nice pics to appear on this thread.

Orvilleowner, you've told us interesting things about your '54, '64 and '74 Strats in the past, but not mentioned how they came to be yours. Bought new for $300 or are there stories behind any of those guitars that you feel like telling?

Cheers - C

Well, since you asked. The '75 was the first Strat I bought and, until very recently, the only one I bought new. The '64 and the '74 were my 2nd and 3rd Strats, brought home on the same summer day in 1978.





I found them both in my local newspaper over the space of a couple of weeks. I checked them out on different days and negotiated the prices over the phone, but I went to pay for them and bring them home the same day (borrowing my mother's car, of course). Do you really want to know what they cost me? I paid $225 for the walnut '74 and $250 for the at-home-painted '64. That next winter I had the '64 refinished and I had it refretted in about 1984, so I've invested a few more hundred dollars into it. Except for dings and Graph-Tech saddles, the '74 is how I got it.

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